PCAN APIs (application programming interface) provided by PEAK System Technik allow easy
development of powerful software with CAN and CAN FD support utilizing the wide range of PC-CAN interfaces made by PEAK. A variety of application-specific PCAN APIs for the automotive sector is also available.

PCAN-Basic API (API for connecting to CAN and CAN FD buses for Windows® and Linux)

The PCAN-Basic API (application programming interface) allows easy
development of powerful software with CAN and CAN FD support. It
includes all of the functions that an application needs in order to
communicate with PCAN PC hardware. The cross-operating-system design
makes it possible to easily port software projects between platforms. PCAN-Basic consists of the actual device driver and an interface DLL, which provides the API functions. As
the successor to PCAN-Light, PCAN-Basic offers increased functionality
and extended language support. It provides various functions for
developers under C++, C#, C++/CLR, Delphi, VB.NET, Java, and Phyton 2.6.

Version 4.0 (released on 06/08/2015) of PCAN-Basic now supports the new CAN FD standard
(CAN with Flexible Data Rate) which is primarily characterized by higher
bandwidth for data transfer.
With this API, 32-bit and 64-bit programs for Windows can access CAN and
CAN FD buses. Based on devices of the PCAN-Gateway series, it is also
possible to communicate with remote CAN buses via IP networks. Changes are primarily seen in the added possibility to initialize a CAN
FD communication and to read and transmit CAN FD messages afterwards.
The handling remains as used to (CAN_InitializeFD, CAN_ReadFD,
CAN_WriteFD).

The development of the new API version was focused on broad
compatibility. Programs that have been created with the previous API,
will work with the new DLL. Vice versa, new applications can be used
with an older DLL, provided that no new features are involved. Regarding
the device drivers for CAN interfaces, the interaction is ensured with
the new FD-enabled driver (4.x) as well as with its predecessor (3.x).

PCAN-CCP API & PCAN-XCP API (APIs for communication with control units)The PCAN-CCP API is a programming interface for the communication
between Windows® applications (Masters) and electronic control units
(Slave ECUs). The API is based on the CAN Calibration Protocol (CCP) by
ASAM and is mainly deployed for development in the automotive area.

The
Universal Measurement and Calibration Protocol (XCP) is a further
development of CCP, but not compatible. XCP supports multiple
transmission mediums. The corresponding programming interface by
PEAK-System is called PCAN-XCP API which uses the CAN bus as
transmission medium analogous to the PCAN-CCP API.

Both APIs
utilize the programming interface PCAN-Basic for accessing the CAN
hardware in the computer. PCAN-Basic is included with every CAN
interface from PEAK-System. The PCAN-CCP API and PCAN-XCP API packages
are available free of charge.

PCAN-CCP API (ECU communication according to CAN Calibration Protocol) can be downloaded here.

ISO-TP (ISO 15765-2) is an international standard for the transfer of
data packages via CAN. Above CAN (OSI layers 1 and 2), the protocol
covers the OSI layers 3 (Network Layer) and 4 (Transport Layer). It can
transmit data packages of up to 4095 Bytes per CAN message. The data
bytes are transmitted segmented with multiple CAN frames.

The
PCAN-ISO-TP API implements the functionality of the standard on the
basis of 10 functions. They are categorized in Allocation,
Configuration, Address Mapping Configuration, Information, and
Communication. PCAN-ISO-TP uses the PCAN-Basic programming
interface to access the CAN hardware in the computer. PCAN-Basic is
supplied with each CAN interface of PEAK-System. Read about the PCAN-ISO-TP API implementation of the ISO-TP Standard here.

UDS (ISO 14229-1) stands for Unified Diagnostic Services and defines the
communication with control units (ECUs). The Windows software tests the
controller using various services. The process is done on the
clientserver principle where the program is in the position of the
client (also called tester). UDS uses the ISO-TP standard as transport
protocol, thus UDS can transmit data blocks of up to 4095 bytes size.
Besides the exchange of maintenance information, for example, the
transfer of firmware is possible.

The PCAN-UDS API implements the
functionality of the standard on the basis of 8 functions. They are
categorized in Tester Allocation, Configuration, Information, Utilities,
Services, and Communication.Read about the PCAN-UDS API implementation of the UDS Standard here.

The OBD-2 standard defines the exchange of
specific vehicle parameters for on-board diagnostics purposes. The client makes a request on the connected
control units (ECUs) in the vehicle to which one or several ECUs are
answering. As part of OBD-2, the ISO 15765-4 standard describes the CAN
bus as a transmission option.

The PCAN-OBD-2 API implements the
functionality of the standard on the basis of 15 functions. They are
categorized in Tester Allocation, Configuration, Information, Services,
and Communication. According to ISO 15765-4, OBD-2 is based on
UDS. Analog to this, PCAN-OBD-2 uses the PCAN-UDS programming interface
for the exchange of diagnostic data. Read about the PCAN-OBD-2 API implementation of the OBD-2 Standard here.

PCAN-PassThru API (PassThru API and Connection of PassThru Software to PEAK CAN Interfaces)

For the programming of control units (ECU), there are countless
applications from various manufacturers which are used in the
development and diagnosis of vehicle electronics. The interface for the
communication between these applications and the control units is
defined by the international standard SAE J2534 (Pass-Thru). Thus, the
hardware for the connection to the control unit can be selected
regardless of its manufacturer.

PCAN-PassThru allows the use of SAE J2534-based applications with CAN adapters from PEAK-System.

The
functions defined by the standard are provided by Windows® DLLs for 32
and 64-bit systems. These can also be used to develop own Pass-Thru
applications. The communication via CAN and OBD-2 (ISO 15765-4)
is based on the programming interfaces PCAN-Basic and PCAN-ISO-TP.
PCAN-PassThru is supplied with each PC CAN interface from PEAK-System.